Your liver is one of the most important organs in the body, did you know your liver:

• Can regenerate,you can donate 50 per cent of your liver and it will regenerate new tissue and remain fully functional.
• Weighs around 1.5kgs in adults, making it the largest solid internal organ in the body. It can also swell in size when you have an illness or infection.
• Detoxifies by breaking down harmful things we take in such as alcohol and drugs, bacteria, viruses, and other particles.
• Isresponsible for over 500 processes in the body.
• Breaks down food and converts it to energy, which it stores and can release back to the body when needed. As well as energy, it stores and releases essential vitamins and nutrients.

Signs of imbalance

If you have regular check-ups with your GP, you’ll no doubt be screening your blood for liver function. However, even if your blood tests are showing normal markers for liver function, your liver can give early warning signs that it could do with some support. Signs of liver disharmony may include:

• Fatigue
• Abdominal bloating
• Indigestion, burping, flatulence
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive disturbances such as diarrhoea or constipation
• Bad breath
• Allergies
• Nausea
• Coated tongue
• Overheating
• Body odour
• Weight gain/loss
• Slow to recover from colds/viruses
• Frequently getting colds/viruses

Mind as well as body

In holistic medicine, the liver plays a huge role in our emotional health and wellbeing. Many people we work with are doing a pretty good job of eating well and being mindful of alcohol intake, yet they still need some liver support. This is due to an accumulation of emotional stress which can show up in liver function.

Having a short fuse or being easily frustrated, suppressed anger and rage, depression and anxiety can all be linked to liver health.

How to detox?

Caring for your liver is an ongoing process, not something you can do once a year and expect to feel good the rest of the time. The best way to care for your liver is to make positive changes and stick to them, including:

Diet: replace processed food with fresh wholefoods, being especially mindful of alcohol and refined sugar consumption. Also, leafy greens are like medicine for your liver. A side salad of greens with a dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar and mustard is a simple healthy shift you can make.

Stress and emotions: find healthy ways to de-stress and move your body. Don’t think that you can just cope your way through life and bury your emotions down where nobody can see them, it doesn’t work. Seek professional help and let others around you know you need support.

Herbs and acupuncture: acupuncture is particularly good at restoring optimal liver function, sometimes with the addition of herbal medicine. Herbs like burdock, dandelion, celandine, rue and others can be very helpful but seek professional advice to get the best results.

Editor’s note: This wellbeing column provides information that is general in nature. Please always refer to your preferred health professional for advice suited to your personal healthcare requirements.

Canberra Daily would love to hear from you about a story idea in the Canberra and surrounding region. Click here to submit a news tip.